Hector's and Maui's dolphins inhabit coastal waters up to a depth of 100 m (red area on the map).

Only a small fraction of the dolphins' home is protected against harmful fishing methods (green). Because of this Hector’s and Maui's dolphins' numbers continue to dwindle away, moving ever closer towards extinction.

Government observers witnessed several entangled dolphins in areas that are left unprotected due to forceful industry lobbying, Scientists and conservationists had argued strongly to have these areas fully protected to avoid further deaths, but they remain unprotected to this day.

Dolphin deaths witnessed by fisheries observers are only the tip of the iceberg because most casualties simply disappear overboard and are never reported.

Absolute protection against commercial and recreational gill-netting and trawling is necessary if extinction is to be averted. This means we must

Hector's and Maui's dolphins inhabit coastal waters up to a depth of 100 m (red). Because only a fraction of their home is protected against harmful fishing methods (green) their numbers continue to dwindle away. CLICK map to enlarge

Maui's Dolphin Range versus Maui's Dolphin Protection

This map created by the New Zealand Department of Conservation shows clearly that Maui's dolphins

range further offshore than 12 nautical miles

frequent the waters off New Plymouth, south of the current protected area, which the fishing industry insists is not part of the dolphins habitat